Is Desktop Virtualization Part of Your IT Support in Sacramento?

One of the most common services offered by IT providers in Sacramento is desktop virtualization.

The high demand for this service is perfectly reasonable, as virtualization offers numerous benefits to businesses of all sizes.

What is Desktop Virtualization?

Virtualization separates the desktop environment (including apps and files) from the actual workstation or computer that's being used to access it. In other words, you or a staff member would be using a desktop PC in the normal way, but the desktop and applications would be running remotely rather than from the machine's physical hard drive.

In most cases, the desktop environment is hosted on a virtual machine (VM) that runs on a central server. Users can run access the system from their own devices wherever they are and whenever they want, because their own device is simply acting as a "portal" to a desktop that's running somewhere else.

This makes virtualization a great option for remote workers or businesses with decentralized staff/contractors. If you're wondering if virtualization can benefit your business, consider the following:

Cut Costs With Virtualization

Virtualization has become one of the hottest things in IT because it helps businesses reduce their overhead costs. With outsourced desktop virtualization, only a single server is needed to host the desktop environments for multiple employees.

With remote access, you can implement a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policy in which employees can use their personal devices -- while you still maintain control over what company software is being used on those devices. BYOD reduces or eliminates the need to pay for expensive office computers, while a managed IT provider such as Integral Networks handles all of the updating and maintenance remotely.

This makes virtualization a truly hassle-free option.

What about the more traditional alternative? Without desktop virtualization, you will pay for office workstations, numerous copies of software and licenses, and in-house maintenance to keep all of those machines running and updated individually. This option is more expensive, involves far more in-house IT work, and is difficult to scale.

Improve Security

Desktop virtualization removes many security problems by keeping everyone's data and apps on a central server.

Company data can’t be copied and leaked because it can be saved only on the central server. Safety restrictions on the desktop environment prevent the install of unauthorized -- and potentially harmful -- software. Monitoring of usage and activity becomes much simpler with virtualization, and it's also easier to maintain a tight cybersecurity defense.

Increase Efficiency

Virtualization makes it much easier for companies to save time and money by hiring an outsourced IT company.One reason businesses used to need an in-house IT staff was the sheer number of workstations and devices that they needed to keep running. Without virtualization, every machine needs to be updated on-by-one, often manually. Technology issues will need to be addressed locally, which means that staff are pushed aside while an IT person physically sits at their machine to address the matter. 

When you partner with Integral Networks, a provider of IT support in Sacramento, this process is much simpler and far less expensive. Our team installs updates, patches, and upgrades remotely. Because everything is in a central location, there’s only one machine to work on when fixes are needed. Employees will always be synced to the latest version of the desktop environment when it's time for them to work.

If you’d like to leverage desktop virtualization as part of an IT support plan, partner with us at Integral Networks. We bring the experience and knowledge to provide IT services to SMBs in Northern and Southern California.

We'd love to discuss your IT needs with you! Contact us today and start leveraging your business technology to its fullest.